FRIENDS OF THE YOUTH LEAGUE RESPONDS TO SISTER SDUMO DLAMINI

26 August 2012

It has come to our attention that the President of COSATU, who is a Nurse by profession has threatened to deal with President Julius Malema because he stood up to defend Lonmin mineworkers in Marikana. Addressing some gathering in Gauteng Province on Sunday the 26th of August 2012, the Nurse, Sister Dlamini said "For the first time COSATU is issuing a direct warning to Malema to stop using the Lonmin mine tragedy for his personal agenda".

What Sister Dlamini does not know is that Economic Freedom Fighters do not take threats kindly and will never be intimidated by Sisters with questionable struggle credentials, who were accidently springboarded into the leadership of COSATU because of factional wars. We do not know what this warning is all about because if the warning is political/ideological, Sister Sdumo will never succeed. And if the warning is a threat of violence, Sister Dlamini should be reminded that he knows nothing about violence and does not posses any monopoly over violence.

We have said before and we will continue to say that the NUM is loosing ground in Mines because this former Union is busy focusing on business dealings whilst workers face massive and brutal exploitation in the Mines. Mineworkers are subjected to very difficult, and dangerous working conditions with no adequate salaries because there is no Union representation. The only thing NUM does is isolate, charge and bastardise Union leaders who are opposed to the self-enrinchment projects and too much salaries of NUM National leaders.

Workers have accepted the leadership of President Julius Malema and because he is courageous and fearless, he goes to speak to the workers and represent their interests with no fear or favour. Sister Dlamini could not face workers in the Mines, both in Impala Platinum Mines in Rustenburg and in Marikana where we intervened and provided leadership, because his only exposure to struggle is in Hospital Wards and fighting amongst fellow Sisters and Mid-wifes. The Sister cannot even spot the obvious difference between a tragedy and a massacre, and what happened in Marikana was a pre-planned massacre, not a tragedy.

We would like to advise the Sister to focus on healthcare and leave politics and activism to the fearless and courageous, who can attend to any situation anywhere in South Africa with no fear of workers on the ground. The culture of issuing threats to people and threatening to deal with people should never be cultivated in South Africa because it will lead to very difficult and dangerous political environment. We want to advise COSATU to withdraw the threat and contest for political relevance through ideas and mobilisation of people on the ground.

As we said before, COSATU is not our enemy and will never be one. We however will not miss any opportunity to at all times tell the truth and confront cowards who claim to be brave but cannot face the workers and people they claim to lead.

Statement issued by the Friends of the Youth League, August 26 2012

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